Against Impossible Odds
by brandisnoot
Summary: A rescue mission to Neverland seemed to be a wonderful idea at the time, but from the second the ship arrived at the island, Isabel Jones started to wonder just how successful they were going to be. One thing was dreadfully apparent. If they wanted to survive, they were going to have to work together. Killian/OC Tinkerbell - Sequel to Distant Melody & The Window Left Open-
1. Prologue: The Happy Home

_**Hello, everyone! Welcome to the newest story in my still-yet-to-be-officially-named series! I have a few things to get out of the way first so please be patient while I keep house for a moment.**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time, Killian Jones/Captain Hook, any of the dialogue from the show (though it will be used at times), any other OUaT characters, any J.M. Barrie characters, etc. What I do own is the interpretation of Tinkerbell and Peter or any other characters we do not/rarely see on the show. That being said, Tinkerbell and Peter Pan are not Rose McIver or Robbie Kay. Lastly, this story will be incredibly AU - meaning Alternate Universe for those who don't seem to know.**_

_**Cast List: Lucy Hale as Isabel Jones/Tinkerbell, Chandler Riggs as Peter, Nathan Fillion as William Smith, Danica McKellar as Celeste Jones/Luna Rose, Ian Harding as Terence. Whenever I add a new character, I will let you guys know who has been cast as that character.**_

_**Lastly, I have a Tumblr page for my stories as well. I would love it if you guys would follow and message me there! I'll be sure to answer and follow back. Please be patient as I check it once every day, but I do have a lovely queue set up that posts several times a day.**_

_**Any acknowledgements (which I do every chapter) will be posted once chapter 1 is ready to be published! These will also be from the final chapter of TWLO And now...onto the story!**_

* * *

_Enchanted Forest - Past_

Isabel laid on the couch in her and Killian's living room. She probably should have been up doing stuff around the house, but she couldn't bring herself to. Lately, it had been hard for Isabel to do much of anything. She didn't really see the point of it. She lumped her sudden laziness with her failure as a wife. After nearly five years of being married to Killian, they still had yet to have a child. It wasn't for lack of trying. Some nights it was all they could do to sit through dinner before having at one another. Even with all of their practice, Isabel never found herself pregnant. And the townspeople didn't make it any better. Just as they whispered behind her back when she and Killian were first together, they now whispered of their childless home. If they weren't saying Killian was cheating on Isabel, it was that one of them had suddenly become repulsed by one another so sex never happened. No matter what, though, they didn't blame him. They blamed her. It wasn't as if she didn't blame herself to begin with.

She didn't want to be that person, blaming herself for something it might not be the time for. She remembered her mother saying things that were meant to happen would happen in their own time. However, with the time that had passed in their marriage, she and Killian hadn't even had a little bit of hope. No false signs of pregnancy or anything. Not that Isabel wanted her and Killian to get their hopes up only to have it be taken away from them. They would probably give up. She didn't want to give up, but it was starting to look a little grim for them. As much as she didn't want to say that she hadn't given up on getting pregnant, she was starting to. For Killian, she would keep trying. It was getting somewhat ridiculous, though, and with half the village deciding that it was her fault completely, she wasn't sure how much longer she was going to keep her husband.

Because that was definitely something he could leave her over. She wasn't producing children so he was not getting something important to him. Killian wanted children. He talked about it all the time. They would walk through the market when he would take a lunch break from working. He would laugh at the children running around. He'd tell her how he couldn't wait to have a few little ones causing chaos in the market. He couldn't wait to have a little girl that everyone doted upon like they had Isabel. Being a father was important to Killian. He was going to fix all the mistakes his father made by not making them. He was going to be there for his children. It was of the utmost importance to him, and Isabel's body couldn't comply. The villagers probably would not fault him for leaving her. She wouldn't fault him either if she were being honest.

The door to the cabin opened. She sat up slowly and watched Killian walked in. He smiled at her, but the smile disappeared. Crossing the room to her, he sat next to her on the couch and pulled her into his arms. He ran his fingers through her hair. "What's wrong, my love?"

She snuggled into his chest, not really wanting to answer. Isabel just shook her head. She wanted to tell him that she was tired, that she didn't feel well. He wouldn't question that. Then again, he might think she was pregnant.

He pulled back to look her, hands on her shoulders. "You know you can talk to me, darling. What's been going on with you, lately?"

"It's nothing. How was work? Father still giving you a hard time?" she asked.

"No. He's not. And whatever is going on, it's something. You haven't smiled in a very long time," he stroked her cheek. "I'm starting to worry."

She shook her head. "Please don't."

"Okay. We don't have to talk if you don't want to. Your father invited us to dinner if you want to go," he told her.

"I honestly don't feel like going, but if you want to join him, go ahead," she shrugged. Killian frowned. Isabel didn't normally pass up going to dinner with her father. She hardly ever turned down a free meal. If she didn't feel like going, then something was certainly wrong, and Isabel knew he would pick up on it. Looking over at him, she took a deep breath and placed her hand over his. "Don't worry about me," she told him. "I'm just not in the mood for socializing."

"If you say so," he mumbled. He turned his hand over to hold hers. "Shall I prepare dinner instead?"

She nodded. "That would be nice."

"Shall I try my hand at soup again?" he asked.

Isabel giggled softly. "If you want to burn the house down. Porridge will do fine."

"But we had porridge for breakfast," he whined.

"Then what do you want for dinner?" she challenged, nudging him slightly

He looked her over, licking his bottom lip before giving her a cheeky grin. "Does my wife count?"

No matter how many times he said things like that to her, she found herself blushing every time. This time was no different. A rosy tint colored her cheeks as she nodded. "You know, Killian. I think that might count for something."

Standing, he pulled her off the couch with him. He gave her a quick kiss and brought her arms up to circle around his neck. He carefully lifted her, arms catching her underneath the knees. With another kiss he carried her to their bedroom.

* * *

He watched his wife carefully. She was sleeping soundly beside him. It was the first time in a long time that she wasn't spending the night tossing and turning. He wasn't quite sure what was going on with her, but he actually had an idea of what it might be. Killian was very well aware of the talk going around the village. People talked about how strange it was they hadn't had a child yet. Even Harry's men were trying to whisper into his ear that something was amiss. He refused to believe anything he heard, though. Everything being said, from physical to marital troubles, was complete rubbish to Killian. They would have a baby when the gods willed it. Until then, everyone needed to mind their business. It didn't bother him, but that didn't mean that it didn't bother Isabel. Normally, she didn't listen to them. He still had to wonder what all got to her and what didn't.

He also figured their lack of a child must be taking a toll on her happiness. She wanted to be a mother. She wanted a family. It probably felt rather hopeless at times. After trying and trying to have a baby, it simply wasn't happening. She thought she was fooling him into thinking everything was just fine. He knew her too well. She could fool anyone else but never him. Killian didn't want to push her into telling him what was wrong. Eventually she would come around, tell him everything that had been bugging her. Maybe they could figure out a solution. They could work on it together. As long as they continued to love each other, nothing would matter. Not what anyone said about the two of them. Not the fact they were still childless after five years. None of it. He would tell her all that as soon as she talked to him.

The sun peeked into the window, and she stirred in her sleep; eyes opening slowly. Isabel still hated waking up early. When it came to waking up with the sun, Isabel was the first to call it meaningless and silly. Of course, she would say that but she got up just like Killian did. After all, she refused to let him go to work on an empty stomach. He was almost certain that, once he left for work, she would go back to bed and sleep a few more hours. For a moment, Isabel seemed like she was about to go back to sleep, but she looked over at him and smiled softly.

"Morning," she greeted him groggily. "How did you sleep?"

"Not very much," he answered. Might as well be honest with her.

She frowned. "Why not?"

Her pout brought a smile to Killian's face. Bringing his hand up, he stroked her cheek with his knuckles. "I just couldn't. Too worried about you."

"You don't have to worry about me. I'm fine." She nuzzled his hand. "But I appreciate the sentiment I suppose."

"I do have to worry about you, love. You're my wife," he sighed.

"But nothing's the matter." She looked him in the eyes, but not matter how many times she said it, he could see that something was wrong. Her eyes sparkled when she was at her happiest. As he looked into them, he saw a dullness to them.

Pressing his lips together, he took a deep breath. "Isabel, I know you're not being honest with me. Please talk to me. Whatever it is, we can fix it. Together. Whatever I…" his voice cracked just slightly and a lump was forming in his throat. "Whatever I did, I'll make it better."

Isabel started shaking her head, and Killian figured she was just going to shut him down again. While he didn't want to pressure her into telling him, he felt like he should ask. She certainly was never one to hide her feelings. It was nothing for her to tell someone exactly what was on her mind. When it came to this, she bit her tongue and chose to ignore what was going on. He was scared he would go another day without an answer, but instead of telling him to just let it go, she started to sob. She clung to him; tears wetting his chest. He stroked her hair and instantly kicked himself. He hadn't meant to make her cry. Not at all, but he had been so desperate for an answer from her that he pushed. He never meant to, yet he had. Now his wife was crying in his arms. His heart clenched in his chest so tightly that he felt as if it might stop at any moment. He felt like he would deserve it if it had.

"It's not you," she finally told him. Looking up at him, her lip trembled and another tear fell down her cheek. "I'm the problem."

"What are you talking about?" he asked. His voice was soft, but it was breaking like it had before. Killian felt as if he were on the verge of tears.

She swallowed thickly. "I think I'm the reason we can't have a baby."

"That's ridiculous," he shook his head.

"No. It isn't. I don't know why, but I feel like there is something inside me that just doesn't want it to happen. I've tried to ignore it, tried to…to will it to happen. It always wins, though. Always." She took his hand and put it on her stomach. "Whenever we try, there's this emptiness that takes over. This disheartening, gloomy barrenness that tells me I'm not meant to be a mother. It wasn't there for the first year, but it's started taking over. And it's not that I'm not…satisfied. The feeling prevails over everything else."

Killian's thumb stroked over her skin for a moment, and he sighed. It sounded more like she wanted to give up. They had been trying since they'd gotten married to have a baby. Nothing came of it. He understood how daunting it seemed. He didn't want to admit it, but he had grown a little dismayed himself. And they had been so preoccupied with her getting pregnant that sometimes it felt like they were just going through the motions. Sure they still enjoyed themselves whenever they made love. It was the aftermath that seemed rather inauspicious. Just the night before, they enjoyed themselves immensely. Yet, when it was over and they were both sated, it was as if nothing ever happened. They separated. She fell asleep. He worried the entire night if she were okay even though he was sure he already knew the answer.

He kissed her softly. "I don't know what to tell you. I don't think there's anything I can say that will make any of it better except that I love you. Isabel Jones, I love you more than anything. We may never have children, but it will not be because of anything you or I did. If it isn't meant to happen, then it'll be okay." Pulling her back into his chest, he smoothed his hand over her back. He wasn't sure if his words were reassuring. He could only hope.

"I don't wanna lose you," she mumbled.

"You won't," he told her. "I'm not giving up on us. You shouldn't either."

"I'm not," she shook her head.

"Good, and you shouldn't give up on our baby yet." It was a risk telling her that he still wanted to try. If she had given up completely, then he was too late to ask her not to. No matter how confident he'd been when they first met, he actually was always scared he would lose her after he got her. He was lucky to have Isabel in his life. By asking her not to give up, he was afraid he was pushing her to continue trying. He was afraid she would leave him. He watched her for a second. Her face was blank. He didn't know what to make of it.

"You think I'm giving up?" she bit her lip.

"I don't know," he shrugged.

She closed her eyes for a moment. "I'm not. I want a child."

That brought a smile to his face. "Maybe our child takes after you. Taking their time and waiting to make a grand entrance."

"Quite dramatic of them, don't you think?" She giggled, actually giggled, and his smile grew bigger.

"Like I said, they take after you. Why don't we just take a break? Not think about it so much, stop putting so much pressure on having a baby. Maybe…hopefully, it'll happen when we least expect it." He brushed a bit of hair from her face.

She nodded. "We'll just enjoy ourselves, right? Not refraining? Because we both know we can't keep away from one another."

"My gods, Isabel! A break doesn't mean stopping! I meant we just don't get out hopes up. Push it from our mind. How can it happen when we aren't expecting it if we stop altogether?" he chuckled. "Besides, there's no way I'm giving you up. You're too fucking beautiful, and I'm too weak of a man." With that, he pushed her back onto the bed and moved himself over her. "And I propose we start now."


	2. Chapter 1: Peter's Return

_**Hey, lovelies! How is everyone's summer going? Or...rather...how is whatever season you're in going? I've been doing really well. Getting ready to take my comprehensive exam for graduate school. I'm also looking for a new job. I've been busy, but I am super happy to post this chapter finally. It's something new. It's from Peter's perspective so let me know what you think. I was really nervous to write from his point of view. **_

_**The following people need all the love and acknowledgments: LiveOak, Lauren Lydia Jane, Mikaelson, ehluvr3, scorpiongirl92, Oh my Batman is that Spitfire, mia-secret's, lauren, DecayOfTime, RainyZ, scorpriongirl92, TakingNeverland, and TheBlackDragonette. You guys are the best! **_

* * *

_Neverland – Present – Indian Camp_

Peter bit his lip as he watched Neverland come into view. The boys all oohed and ahed over it, having all dreamt of going there. For those who were familiar with the island, they all grinned with excitement. Peter remembered his first glimpse of the island. It seemingly welcomed him. Its energy rising to greet him. He loved it immediately, and it made him its prince. The island was so different from where the fairies lived. Their island neighbored Neverland. The Vale wasn't nearly as welcoming. It was almost cold in comparison. It felt less like home. He felt out of place, like his mother had. He knew why. Humans weren't supposed to be there, and they were both part human.

As soon as he landed, a warmth surprised him like a hug. The sounds of the island started up again. It was saying hello. It was ecstatic to have him home. Admittedly, he felt rather happy to be there too. It showed on his face. The boy breathed in the scent of the island, feeling his lungs tighten at the change in air pressure. His body was adjusting to being there. From the groans of the others, their lungs tingled as well. Terence placed his hand on Peter's shoulder and smiled down at him. Peter smiled back happily. Somehow Terence figured out how to make Peter fly again. He was sleeping when Terence got him up. He was excited, frantic even. He said he'd figured it all out, and it was as simple as star stuff, a magical dust left behind from a falling star. Stronger than both pixie and fairy dust, just touching it might restore Peter's magic. He had some; enough for both Peter and Isabel. He told Peter they'd help her in the morning. With one touch, Peter was flying about his room, giggling to himself. He was so happy that he crowed loudly, forgetting that the rest of the town was probably sound asleep. Then Terence insisted they celebrate with a trip to Neverland. How he acquired magic beans was a little vague to Peter, but he didn't question it. He jumped at the chance to return, even if it was briefly. Terence also mentioned taking the boys from the town with them. Just for a little bit. Peter couldn't say no. it was just what he needed to get his friends back.

"It hasn't changed," Peter said dreamily.

"Not at all. It's just empty," Terence shook his head. "But not for long. You're back. The island will have to catch up. Then it'll fill up with life again." He gave Peter a reassuring smile.

Looking around where they landed, Peter realized they were in the Indian encampment. Other than their houses, nothing was left behind. Like they had just picked up and left. "Y'know, I don't see the natives in Storybrooke much. Where do you think they all went?"

"That is a very good question," Terence nodded. "You would think since the curse grabbed the lost boys as well that it would have gotten the natives. Come to think of it, the mermaids didn't seem to be affected either."

"But it didn't," Peter added. He pursed his lips together as he tried to remember if he'd seen any of the mermaids in town. No, he hadn't. Sure he'd seen some from other worlds there. Neverland's mermaids never did. It was strange. He almost wanted to say that the curse didn't pick up non-humans, but if that were the case, a good portion of the town wouldn't be there.

"Why don't you go show the boys how the island works? Show them how to wish up toys and all that," Terence suggested.

Peter shook his head and frowned. "I don't think they'd listen to me."

Sure they had started including him at school, but that didn't mean they would automatically see him as the leader while in Neverland. Even the lost boys seemed to have forgotten he was once their fearless leader. As he started to go sit off to the side, Slightly approached him. "What should we do first, Peter?"

The boy's blue eyes got even brighter than they were before as he stood back up. The rest of the boys looked on expectantly and waited for his first order. It wasn't necessarily an order, but Peter was used to calling the shots. A grin spread on his face. "Right then. First, I think we should wish up a giant feast to celebrate being here!" All of the boys cheered. Peter looked over at Henry who cheered on too, but he could tell that Henry was just play acting. He wasn't really happy to be there. He was the only boy in the town to argue before agreeing to go to Neverland. Tilting his head to the side, he marched up to Henry and the boys all quieted down. "You first, Mills." Henry's eyebrows furrowed, probably confused as to why Peter would single him out. "All you gotta do is wish it and it'll come true. Anything you want."

"What about…ice cream?" Henry sounded a little unsure, but without missing even a nanosecond, the island provided. A bowl of vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream appeared in midair. Henry had to shoot his hands out in front of him to catch it. A grin spread on his face, and he took the spoon from the ice cream. Scooping up a bit of chocolate, he shoveled it in his mouth.

A haughty grin also appeared on Peter's face as he glanced over at Terence. The man looked proud of the boy, and Peter felt even prouder of himself. Before long, everyone was wishing up a fine meal for them engorge themselves on. Even Terence indulged himself in a bit of the wares they dreamt up. They were all going to suffer from belly aches afterwards, but it was going to be well worth it in Peter's opinion. It had been far too long since he got to enjoy the island. He planned on doing so thoroughly before they had to leave for Storybrooke. He tried to remind himself that they were going to have to remember when they arrived so they would know when to leave. However, the island would surely do its best to make them all forget where they were and who they had waiting for them back home.

* * *

The camp settled down finally once the boys had eaten themselves into quite a stupor. Almost every boy in the camp had fallen asleep or was on their way to doing so. Peter took this as an opportunity to go explore on his own. He glided above the trees of the island and sought out his old hide out. He wanted to see if it was still in good shape. Now that he could fly, he could make frequent visits to the island. He could probably take his mother and father there too. Peter wanted to keep it up so they would have a cozier place to stay. It didn't feel right staying in the Indian encampment. Not when half of the time he wasn't welcome there to begin with. Only when he and the lost boys had allied with the Indians were they allowed to visit, but even those times were short-lived and he wasn't allowed to stay for longer than the time allotted to him.

Vines had grown over the rock that served as the door to an underground tunnel. He cleared them away before stepping on what looked like an ordinary tree root. With a groan, the rock rolled away from the entrance and down Peter traveled. He walked along the tunnel, feeling a bit nostalgic. He remembered when Tink first showed it to him, having built it to protect him from any danger. He also remembered laughing at her because there was no possible way he'd ever need it. Joke was on him. He and the boys used it so often to get away from pirates and indians alike. Not knowing the truth, he felt awful. What he perceived as a silly and overly cautious fairy was actually a protective mother; something he'd wanted for years. After a few minutes, he found himself in the hideout. Echoes of memories flooded him. He and "his men" laughing throughout the night, high off another adventure. The sound of his mother's wings jingling as she darted around the room. Days filled with crazy schemes to upset the pirates. The place looked the same but felt so different. He was the same child, but he felt so much older now that he was aware of the truth about his parents. The island should've rejected him in that moment. He guessed it didn't because it was his island after all.

"I always wondered what this place actually looked like," a voice behind him mused.

Peter jumped so high that he flew to the ceiling and bumped his head. He saw Henry standing underneath the ornate arch of the hideout. The entire compound was like a large fortress; completely hidden underground of course. Peter wanted it that way. There were rooms the boys could sleep in, a kitchen, a grand den. The latter was the only room really utilized in the place. The boys pretty much slept where they fell at the end of the day, and none of them could actually cook. Not to mention, they were hardly ever there to begin with. It seemed like such a waste, but it was their home. Should he and his family ever return for good, he'd like to think it would be their home too. His mother probably wouldn't mind. His father might. The sea was home for him. The Jolly Roger certainly was. Peter wasn't sure it would work out having Hook live in the hideout. He'd be awfully bored. Then again, the pirate did just fine at their house in Storybrooke.

"I figured it would be smaller," Henry mused as he walked around.

"What are you doing here?" Peter asked.

"Couldn't sleep. Decided to explore," Henry shrugged.

"You followed me." Peter found it a little disconcerting. He guessed he'd forgotten how to travel incognito around the island. Maybe his mother's cloaking spell had worn off when they left. He didn't know, but he tried not to let it get to him. He might as well just be nice to Henry. "You want a tour of the place?"

Henry nodded. The two boys started moving about the compound. Peter told Henry stories about his numerous adventures in Neverland. He made sure to refer to his mom as Tink. Henry knew she was the same person, but it seemed like the island wanted the distinction made. Peter recognized it as the island setting to work to make him forget. He had to keep reminding himself that he wasn't the same. He had parents. He wasn't wary of adults anymore. Everything was different.

Henry seemed intrigued by all of the stories. They were much more dangerous than the book. As far as they book went, they were terribly inaccurate. He would admit that he was the bratty boy who was too haughty for his own good. However, he would never cut someone's hand off. He would never throw a fit over Wendy and her brothers leaving. Children were welcome to come and go as they pleased as far as he was concerned. The second they wanted to go home, the second he would lead them back. He wasn't going to keep them there. And, to be terribly honest, Wendy Darling was kind of irritating. There was something she wanted to be to him that he wasn't necessarily interested in. He found it a little unsettling that she had a crush on an eight year old boy, and she was quite a few years older than him. He just wanted to have fun. He wanted to explore, go on adventures, and always have things stay that way. She didn't seem to understand that. There was so much that Peter could correct Henry on, but instead, he decided to show Henry one of his favorite places on the island.

They climbed a staircase to the top of the hideout. Then they climbed and climbed all the way up a tree until they sat on the highest branch. Hangman's Tree was at the very center of the island, and its tallest branch had a perfect view of the island. Everywhere they turned, they could see almost completely to the ocean; aside from Skull Rock's ominous silhouette in the background.

"Thank you for bringing us here," Henry smiled over at Peter.

The younger boy shrugged. "It was nothing. I guess I was just celebrating getting my magic back. You really should be thanking Terence. It was his idea."

"Oh. Well, I'll be sure to," Henry nodded. "So...what's it like to have a pirate for a dad?"

"I dunno. Still trying him out." Peter chuckled. "He's alright I guess. He used to seem so scary but not anymore. Not since Mama told us the truth."

"My mom lied to me too." Henry looked down.

"About your dad?" Peter asked.

Henry nodded again. "Yeah. She said he died as a hero, but when we went to New York, he was alive."

"And the Dark One's son..." Peter trailed off. "You know, you got one hell of a family."

Looking over at Peter, Henry laughed softly. "So do you."

He had a point. Peter's family may not have been royalty, and his mother didn't use dark magic. His family was still just as unconventional. His mother's side of the family was fairies. From what he'd been told, his father's family was pirates. Well his father's adoptive family basically. Then there was Peter himself. Even as only part fairy, he was special. He could fly. He couldn't age, even away from Neverland. He was different from most children. No his family wasn't exactly normal.

"I suppose I do," Peter shrugged.

"What's it like? Having a mom for a fairy?" Henry asked as he went over to a doll house in the corner of the den. It used to be Tink's little house.

Peter shrugged again. "It's kind of the same from during the curse really. She makes me do my homework, tries to make me eat my vegetables. When we were here, I stopped remembering what it was like to have a mother. Before that, it was amazing. She taught me a little bit of magic. Just little stuff."

"You have magic?" Henry's eyebrows raised as if that was information that excited him.

"Only a little." Peter walked over to Henry and took a tiny bed out of his hands. "Don't touch that."

Henry frowned, watching Peter carefully place the bed back in its place, hiding the clean spot that was underneath it. "You miss this place, don't you?"

"Of course I do," he huffed.

"Would you come back to live here?" the boy asked.

Turning to look at Henry, Peter nodded though he didn't understand why it was any of Henry's business. "Yeah. I would. I mean, this is my home. Why wouldn't I want to come back here?"

"I dunno. I would too. I kind of want to go to the enchanted forest. My whole family, you know?" Henry smiled.

"And your family isn't up for it?" Peter asked.

"I can't really tell. I think my grandpa is," he answered.

"I don't know if my family would want to come back here." Peter frowned. He hasn't really thought what it might mean for his father. Only what it would mean for his mother and himself. Now that the subject had come up. He didn't know if returning to Neverland was really a good idea. His family needed a more neutral space. In Neverland, they were always at odds with one another. What if the island wanted that dynamic to come back? What if it simply brought up horribly memories for them? Peter didn't want his father to be uncomfortable around him, no more than he already was. "Maybe we really don't need to come back here."

"But where would you go if you didn't?" he asked.

"Probably to the enchanted forest. My mom used to live in a village there with my grandfather. That's where she and my dad met. We could probably go back there." Although, the thought of that kind of worried him too. "You know, we should probably go back to camp now. I doubt Terence really wants us wandering off so far."

The two of them started heading back to the camp. To be fair to Henry, Peter had chosen not to fly. Their walk was quiet. All that could be heard were the animals that had woken up the second his feet touched the dirt.

"You know, my dad has a fiancé. Kinda like your mom has a boyfriend." Henry spoke up. "I don't know exactly how I feel about that."

"I'm used to Terence being around more, but I can't help but want my parents to get back together. It's difficult, though. Terence is cool. He's helped me a lot over the years. Even before him and Mama got together, before we came here. He helped her a lot too. But my dad is my dad." Peter sighed. "Whatever she wants I suppose."

"Tamara's nice, but I don't know exactly how I feel about her. Emma seemed kinda upset when she found out. I only met her for a little bit," Henry shrugged.

"I think my dad doesn't really like Terence. I know they didn't when they were both trying to win my mom over." A smirk came over Peter's face.

They came to the edge of camp. They had to be quiet as they snuck back in. With all of the boys sleeping, a little bit of noise might cause a second round of revelry to begin. Peter had a plan for their adventure the next day. They'd need their rest. He tiptoed into one of the huts, finding a nice bed to collapse onto. He'd forgotten about his lack of sleep. Peter hadn't gotten any sleep since the night before. He certainly hadn't slept that night. Sleep took him over quickly. Soon enough he was snoring lightly, mouth hanging open.


	3. Chapter 2: All at Sea

_**Hello, darlings! It's been for-freaking-ever since I've updated with a chapter, and I just finished this one so I figured I would go ahead and get it up for you guys! I've been super busy studying for my comprehensive exam, which I did not pass. No worries, though. I'm not upset about it at all. I figured I wasn't going to pass so I just accepted my fate and moved on. I will be taking it again in November or December. I'm not sure. Anyways, thank you everyone for reading. I truly appreciate it. Speaking of thanking people, here are some super special people who followed/favorited/reviewed: BrizeldaLeon, Psycho17, lovinurbuks, xenocanaan, and grumpypirate. You guys are amazing, and I love you lots! Now onto the**** chapter!**_

* * *

_Neverland - Present - The Jolly Roger_

It was hell trying to control the ship in the portal, and Killian feared they would lose the entire thing before they arrived in Neverland. The whirlpool shook them about, knocking the ship from side to side. His ragtag crew of non-sailors did all they could to keep the ship from giving in to the temptation to sink. A rather large wave was about to bounce them to the other side when he finally saw the stars appear above them. Barking for them to brace themselves for a rather bumpy resurfacing, Killian steadied the wheel with Isabel's help. No matter what, she hadn't left his side. Just as he asked. He would never tell her, but had one of the others been lost in the portal, he wouldn't have cared all that much. If Isabel had fallen overboard, he would have done everything he could to save her, find her if she got sucked under. It wasn't that she was pertinent to getting Peter and the rest of the children back. That had very little to do with it. Killian was determined that, while he had her, he wasn't going to lose her. When Terence managed to pull her away, it would be different. For the time being, she was his again; completely forgiven or not.

With a sickening jerk, the Jolly Roger managed its way out of the portal just in time to escape the wave. Everyone let out a sigh of relief as they steadied themselves. Isabel let out an uneasy laugh as she looked up at Killian. "Well, we made it."

There was no denying they had arrive. The magic of Neverland made the air thick. For an adult, it was almost stifling. Well, for human adults. As far as Killian could tell, Isabel didn't seem too bogged down by it. Of course, the fairy part of her would help her feel light. Children felt light in Neverland, but as their minds matured, they felt the weight of adulthood bearing down on them. It was part of why adults needed to find it with a portal. Children could just get there. It was in their hearts. They could find their way to Neverland through sheer will.

"What part of Neverland is this?" Emma asked as she approached Isabel and Killian, looking at their surroundings.

They opened their mouths to answer, but Neal beat them to it. "Just outside of Mermaid Lagoon."

Emma's head snapped in his direction. "You've been here before?"

"Aye," Killian nodded.

"How-when?" she stuttered.

"Peter," Isabel answered.

"The stories left someone out when Peter brought the Darlings here," Neal answered, "but I didn't make it to the lost boys' camp like they did."

He said no more, and Isabel understood why. She couldn't necessarily pretend she didn't know who he was exactly. She knew his connection to Killian, and she certainly knew enough about his time in Neverland to understand his silence. He hadn't had a stellar experience. Neal, or Baelfire at the time, could be yet another person left disappointed because she allowed Peter to turn into the forgetful little imp he was while there.

"We should find a place to dock," Regina spoke up.

"We'll have to sail around a bit. Mermaid Lagoon is full of rocks," Isabel told her. "As good of a sailor as Killian is, the rocks would destroy the ship."

"Then by all means," David looked up at Killian with nothing but pure annoyance in his eyes. "Find us a safe place."

Killian rolled his eyes at David's tone. If the prince was one of Killian's crew, he'd tell him to mind his manners or find himself fed to the creatures in Neverland's waters. "Perhaps while we all patiently wait we should talk strategy."

"Strategy is we kick Terence's ass and get the children back," Emma told him.

"Not that simple," Isabel shook her head. Everyone turned their attention on her. Their judgment bore into her, and she almost wanted to clam up. She couldn't do that. If they were going to get the children back, then Isabel needed to be strong even though she knew exactly how everything was going to end. Taking a deep breath, she tried to figure out how to word everything exactly. It was probably beyond her, but she was going to try her best. "Terence doesn't care about the children. If I cooperate, then they'll all be returned safely. Knowing him, he probably won't even kill them at all. He just said that to get my attention. He also said he would only harm them if we wasted time getting here. Obviously we didn't. I think the only people he intends on hurting are Killian and myself. Possibly Peter."

"So why take them at all?" David asked.

Killian looked over at Isabel to see if she possibly had an answer. He had one, but he wasn't sure how correct of an assumption it was. Still, Isabel looked as if that was something perplexed her. While it didn't show on her face with the others, it definitely showed for him. "For Peter. Like he said and she just reiterated, he did it to get her attention. He's always been a jealous little snot, and his letter stated that I'd taken all her attention. Of course, how could I not?" He started to smirk but it faded when everyone just stared back at him blankly. "He took the children because Peter and Isabel have been focusing their attention elsewhere. Taking the children was just to win Peter into his favor."

"And what does this exactly have to do with you?" Snow asked.

"Peter's always wanted a family," Isabel answered. "He's been trying to spend time with his father. To get to know the man, not the monster basically."

Killian looked down at that comment. As precise and true as it was, it still hurt to hear. "And I haven't stopped him so all of the attention I guess that used to be given to Terence has been taken away."

"This is all just some petty vendetta to get her back?" Regina asked.

"Aye," Killian nodded. "And to get me out of the way, permanently."

"Then how are we going to get the children back and have everyone win?" Snow's eyebrows furrowed.

We don't, Isabel thought. Surely it was all so obvious. The children were just a distraction while Terence played whatever game he was planning. Glancing up at Killian, she could see her thoughts reflected in his eyes. They didn't have a lot of time together, and they weren't going to get to spend it together really. Instead, they would have to come up with some sort of a plan for everyone else to get out of Neverland with the boys. Then they would have to accept what was going to happen to them. Isabel would have to choose: live unhappily with Terence and Peter in Neverland or sacrifice herself and hope Killian and Peter got away safely. Either way, it meant she would have to give in to Terence. Not everyone was going to win. Everyone was just going to have to accept it because Isabel had already, as had Killian.

Snow must have taken the silence as her answer, and Isabel excused herself below deck to get away from any other questions. She wasn't going to beat herself up anymore over what was inevitably a lost cause. She wasn't going to beat herself up over what brought on the whole situation in the first place. She refused to apologize to anyone for choosing her husband. Isabel loved Killian. That's the way it always had been. Even when she tried to push her feelings aside when they were all in Neverland, she loved him more than anything. She had always kept him just as safe there as she had Peter. Terence read what he wanted into their friendship, and only the curse saw them together. Sure, she actually had grown to care for him somehow during the curse. Those feelings were proven rather flimsy as soon as Killian arrived. In retrospect, she should have ended it with Terence. Some part of her knew she would never ever choose him, and waiting for Killian to fully forgive her was just the excuse she needed because not wanting to end up alone sounded so bad. Isabel was just angry enough to see what she'd been denying for the past couple of weeks. It was amazing to think it hadn't even been that long. The days dragged on, but the amount of time that had actually passed was no more than three weeks at best.

"You know, things always seem to work out for Charming and Snow White," Regina's voice told her. "No matter what anyone does to them, they always find a way."

"I think they would find it rather insulting to compare Killian and myself to them," Isabel muttered.

"You two are true love, correct?" Regina moved around so Isabel could look at her. She leaned against the wall in front of the fairy.

Isabel nodded. "Well…yeah. We are."

"Then there's no doubt you'll win." The queen sighed as she looked around. "It would seem that you two have been through so much, yet you still found each other in Storybrooke. Of course, my mother played a hand in it. For some reason, I don't see that as a coincidence."

"Yeah, but I don't think she would have been rooting for a fairy and a pirate just for giggles." Cora didn't seem like the type to have done something for no reason. "I'm sorry for your loss by the way."

"Thank you," Regina said sadly. "If you don't mind me asking, why did you fake your death?"

Isabel shook her head. "I don't mind at all. Most of my magic is inborn, but some of it I had to inherit, which made me powerful. Incredibly so. When my mother passed, she told me that I needed to leave the human world in order to save myself and my family because humans would undoubtedly try to use me for evil. I believed her and ended up faking my death because of that."

"Your mother told you?" Regina's eyebrow raised.

"My mother faked her own death. Apparently, it's a family tradition," Isabel grumbled. "I grew up without her because she believed my father and I wouldn't be safe if she stayed supposedly. I unfortunately followed in her footsteps. I lost my husband and my child just in different ways."

"You know I had nothing to do with you and Terence ending up together." The queen almost seemed a little worried that Isabel would think that in the first place.

"I know. Unfortunately, Terence somehow always ends up being a part of my life. My mother placed him there, and he's never left." She chuckled at the thought. He was like a stray she'd fed and then had to take in because it wouldn't leave. "But I would never think you had anything to do with it."

* * *

Standing at the helm, Killian watched everyone move about the ship. The island made him feel as if he were unwelcome there. Perhaps he wasn't welcome. It wouldn't surprise him. He'd felt it when he was there before. Malice wasn't allowed. Unhappy thoughts were banned. Neverland was not a place made for him. He and his crew always felt its unwillingness to embrace him. It only eased up a little in his three centuries there. The clawing he felt at the back of his mind was only an itch after a time. He figured it may have been Isabel's doing. They'd only ben there a matter of minutes, and he was starting to feel its affects already.

"You never mentioned you had a wife," Neal spoke up. He leaned against the half wall in front of him.

"Didn't seem all that important," Killian shrugged.

"Why not?" Neal asked.

"Because I wanted to believe I was over her completely. Because I loved your mother and hated your father. I thought she was dead, Baelfire. Nothing more to it than that." Killian's jaw clenched as he fought to keep his mouth shut.

"Did you know Peter is your son? Even a little?" Neal tone was not an accusing one. For that, Killian was thankful. "He never seemed to know you."

"No. He thought he was alone. Isabel unfortunately had to allow him to forget her or that he had a father at all, everything he knew about having a family. She didn't want him to ever know what I had become." Killian looked down. He felt rather ashamed of what he had become. Instead of accepting what supposedly happened to her, he let his penchant for revenge overtake him. The same could be said for Milah's death. He was unworthy of a family, and he knew that.

"And what about my mother?" Neal's arms crossed in front of his cheat.

The pirate swallowed thickly at the question. "I loved her. Everything I told you before I loosed you to the island to fend for yourself. It was all true. We were going to be a family. She wanted that more than anything."

"To replace the one you lost." Now Neal sounded a tad accusing.

Truthfully, he never saw it that way. Isabel was gone. She'd been dead a few years, his thirst for revenge mostly sated, and his heart mended just enough to let someone else in. Milah wasn't a replacement for Isabel. Baelfire wasn't a replacement for Peter. Killian wanted to feel joy again. She gave him so much joy that he felt as if life was finally giving him a break. He felt light again after years of being bogged down. He still loved Isabel, and Milah did remind him over her just a bit. He never saw her as replacement option, though. Simply, he believed he had moved on.

"I never said that," he muttered.

Neal stayed silent for a moment, and Killian welcomed it. He didn't have time to rehash everything he'd done in the past. There was a man somewhere on Neverland looking to take Isabel and Peter from him, probably hoping Killian would die in the process. Whatever Neal wanted to get off his chest would just have to wait until everything was sorted. If he wanted to duke it out over something that happened centuries prior, then they could after they returned to Storybrooke. He eased the ship closer to shore, careful to hit any of the rocks that littered the water. Heeding Isabel's advice, he sailed around Mermaid's Lagoon until her found a little alcove they could keep the ship. The hair on the back of his neck raised as the feeling of being watched overtook him. While he was sure it wasn't Terence spying on them, he didn't like the feeling any more than he had when he first arrived in Neverland. The entire place kept tabs on him.

"You ready for this?" Neal asked.

"Not in the slightest, but I suppose that doesn't matter," Killian admitted.


	4. Chapter 3: Following The Leader

_**Woooooow! Okay. So I apologize profusely for not updating as quick as I should be. I have not abandoned the story. I just haven't really had any inspiration to write it, but the inspiration is back so have no fear. I'm going to sit down and plan out a few chapters of the story and hopefully have updates for you very soon! Right now, all I have to offer is this chapter. It's short, and I'm not all that sure I'm as happy with it as I can be. I really just wanted to get something out for everyone. The following people are dollfaces and get all the cupcakes for reviewing, favoriting, or following: ****spider-lily08, Louie du lac, and rosaliehale. Thank you everyone for reading, and once again, I hope to get something out very very soon!**_

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_Neverland – Present – Indian Camp_

"Alright, men! Today's game is hide and seek!" Peter walked in front of the boys like he was a general giving his army their orders. His hands clasped behind his back, and he paced in front of them. Bright blue eyes sized each boy up with every passing. "The rules are to hide as best as you can! I will count to whatever I feel like so be quick about it. Last person found will be it."

The lost boys rolled their eyes, having all heard it before. The other boys looked terrified. Peter liked it that way. The townies, as he called them, had heard stories about Peter's games. None of them true, of course. They were the Lost Boys' way of hazing visitors. They all stood at attention and eyes Peter with just a hint of fear. The little boy they teased for being small and inconsequential was likely to get his revenge on them. Little did they know, none of that bothered him. He knew all too well what it was like to need to feel superior. It's how he ran Neverland, and he made the boys respect him through it. The townies trembled as he stared them down.

"One more rule," he grinned. "Have fun or be banished! Now get it."

He turned towards one of the huts, closing his eyes and counting loudly. The boys shuffled behind him to go hide. It was a mad scramble, and he chuckled to himself. None of the lost boys were going to let the townies have any of the good hiding spots. He knew that for sure. While he counted, he tried to remember all of the obvious ones. Perhaps Peter should have told them to find new places or take a buddy. It was going to take him nearly all day to pretend he didn't know where everyone was. As he neared one hundred, he decided to only pretend with a few.

"Ready or not, gentlemen!" he announced loudly.

Taking a moment, he looked around. Going east, he figured he would work his way back to the camp. His eyes narrowed, scanning the forest. The townies were much more obvious. None of them blended into the scenery. As he headed for one, he noticed Terence leaving the camp. Where could he be heading? To the hideout? To his old cave? Peter was unsure. The urge to follow Terence was entirely too strong. He found himself following at a distance. Peter was just far enough behind Terence that he wouldn't be able to notice him, and should Terence grow suspicious of anything, Peter could always disappear through the skies. Like his mother, Peter was a fast flyer. He guessed that was something hereditary. He could remember racing her when she was Tinkerbell, and he would almost beat her. Almost. She was one of the fastest fairies around so Peter knew he would never be able to beat her. But it was fun. Now it seemed like something he could cherish, a memory with his mother.

Terence went deeper into the forest. The deeper he went, the more Peter was under the impression that something was up. Of course, his instincts from being on the island were kicking in. For him, adults were up to no good. He would follow any of the pirates around until he was sure they were doing what they were supposed to. So Peter shrugged the whole thing off on his natural paranoia when it came to grownups. He left without following any further. He needed to get back to the boys. They were probably all wondering where he was. Raising into the air, he started looking for them. He might as well. Why wouldn't he bend the rules of the game a little? Flying wasn't fair because the boys wouldn't be able to fly as well, but he was Peter Pan and they were in Neverland. He could do whatever he wanted. First he found Slightly hiding on a low hanging branch in a tree close to the camp. Of course, Slightly complained about how unfair it was that Peter was flying. Still, he conceded and started helping anyways. He knew all the easiest spots to hide. He'd discovered them or so he boated. Slightly always bragged about things that simply were not true. No one questioned or corrected him anymore. It wasn't exactly worth it for anyone. The townies didn't know any better and believed everything he told him, and the Lost Boys just let Slightly brag because it was tiresome to argue.

"Hey, Peter! I found Nibs and Christopher!" Slightly announced. "Oh! And Twins are behind that boulder!"

The boys grumbled as they came out of their hiding spots. Slightly may not have found all the hiding spots like he claimed, but there was one claim that he could truly own. He was damn good at hide and seek. Peter was the best - that's how it was in Neverland - but Slightly was definitely a close second. He made it that way. When Slightly first arrived in Neverland, he challenged Peter's authority. After a few decades of losing every time, he decided it was time for a new approach. Instead of being better than Peter, he tried to be as good. Well, almost as good. For a while, it made him Peter's right hand man. He and Peter were inseparable. Wherever the boy wonder was, there was Slightly following as closely behind as he could. Then the curse whisked them all to Storybrooke, and Slightly because Peter's biggest adversary again. It was in Storybrooke that Slightly was finally able to best Peter and put him in an inferior place. However, there was no joy in it because he couldn't remember ever being part of Peter's crew. All Slightly remembered was his name was Jonathan. He had two younger twin brothers that everyone always got confused. He called them by the same name just because it made things easier, and the rest of the town followed suit. What everyone in the town thought was a cute nickname for his brothers, Slightly was only being a bully. He didn't know that the two boys he believed were his own flesh and blood had also been a part of Peter's crew. He didn't know that Peter didn't bother learning their names because he would always get confused who was who so he simply lumped them together and called them Twins. As he helped Peter search, he realized exactly how much the curse made him forget even if there were parts of it he didn't want to remember.

With the help of each boy Peter found, they were all standing in a big circle in no time and trying to figure out who was going to seek next. They decided that Tootles should go. He was the last one found, and he was honestly terrible at the game. As tempting as it was to hide in the tallest tree he could find, Peter stayed grounded while he searched for a good spot. Apparently, Henry had the same idea that he had. Hide in plain sight but still be well hidden. They both found a rather large bush that they could easily climb into. Peter normally wouldn't let anyone share the space with him, but Henry was new to Neverland.

"You followed Terence," Henry spoke, voice low but not quite a whisper.

"How…" Peter paused for a second before sighing. "You followed me."

"Technically, I followed him but yeah. Sorta. What do you think he was doing?" Henry was too nosy for his own good.

Peter rolled his eyes. "Nothing most likely. He did used to live here to, you know? Why do you care?"

"I was thinking about it last night. Why would he bring us all here? It doesn't make sense." Henry was already coming up with theories. Peter didn't like that. He knew they were too much alike, but whatever plan Henry had brewing, it wasn't going to be a good one.

"It makes a lot of sense. He helped me bring you guys here to celebrate getting my magic back. Why does it have to be anything more than that?" Peter huffed. "Just mind your own business for once. If he's up to something, my parents will figure it out and save us. Yours too. If not, then we'll deal with it on our own."

And here Peter thought he might be able to stomach Henry. They could have even been friends, but it was bloody unlikely. Henry sighed as Peter peered through the forest, trying to make heads or tails of where everyone went. This was usually when Peter would force one of the boys to reveal themselves. Instead, he popped out of the bush. Tootles looked shocked yet relieved Peter appeared in front of him.

Hours seemed to pass before Terence came back to the camp. By that time, all of the boys had their go at finding the others. They all lazed around the camp, exhausted after hide and seek turned into a game of tag. All of them were starving, and instead of letting them dream up whatever they wanted, Peter played responsible and cooked lunch for everyone. If they hadn't all been tired, Peter would have taken them hunting. Since they were tired, he quickly went out to gather food for everyone. Every time he turned around, Henry was staring at him. And the more time Terence took to return to the camp, Peter started to get even more suspicious. Maybe Henry was right. Maybe but Peter wasn't going to let him know that. He decided he would have to watch Terence closely, see if maybe he could pick up on something different about his somewhat step-father. When Terence did return, he immediately went into the hut he was staying in. He didn't greet the boys or Peter. Simply locked himself into the hut while the Lost Boys told the townies stories about their time in Neverland. Some of the stories were new to Peter as they often would have adventures of their own when he would venture off.

As the moon rose high into the Neverland sky, Terence finally emerged from the hut. He seemed in good spirits, but Peter noticed Henry watching Terence. Fine. When everyone went to bed that night, Peter would talk to Henry about what he thought Terence might be up to. Then they would devise a plan to figure it all out, stop him if they had to. Until then, Peter would have to lead Terence into thinking he suspected nothing. At least, he would have to continue acting like he was ecstatic to be in Neverland again after all those years. It wasn't that he suddenly didn't want to be there, but if Terence had took him there just to do something, he didn't need to take the rest of the boys in town. It seemed to be a bit excessive. A thought did cross Peter's mind. Had Terence kidnapped him and made him think their trip was for him? Did it have something to do with his parents? As far as Peter knew, his parents weren't officially together. Isabel didn't want Killian to get into trouble. The best way to do that was have him stay at the house. That's what she'd told them. He hadn't exactly seen anything that screamed they were together or even thinking about it.

Looking up at the sky, Peter wondered when they were all going to go home. As much as he liked having people there and he enjoyed being back home, he wanted to go back. Their parents would start to worry eventually. Time moved slowly in Neverland, differently than the world they all lived in, but time still passed in both worlds. Their families would wake up and find them gone from their beds. He remembered how the Darlings reacted to their children going to Neverland. He could only imagine what an entire town waking up to missing children would be. And he knew they would probably blame him for all of it. They would be right of course, but they would think it was malicious. There were so many misconceptions about his intentions, and they got more and more misconstrued. He didn't steal children from their beds. They all had a choice. That included the Darlings. Somehow it turned into Peter kidnapping children from their beds and trying to get them to forget their families. It wasn't that at all. Peter would never take anyone from their families unless there was a reason to. Most of the time, children would stay in Neverland for a few days; enough time to have a little fun and be back in their beds well before sunrise. Other times the children would convince him into staying for another day or so. He would never mean for their parents to find their beds empty, but sometimes they did. For a moment, he wondered if Terence was using that to his advantage. If he was up to something, was he using a simple misunderstanding of Peter's character to hurt people? The more he thought about it, the more he hoped that wasn't the case. Terence had always been a kind person. He took care of Peter and Isabel, made sure they had everything. Isabel had too much pride to ask her father for things. When it came to watching Peter for a few hours, sure she would ask for that. But if they needed something? No. She would find other ways to get it or they just wouldn't have it. It was always that way. He guessed it was the same in Neverland, especially now that he knew his grandpa was there too, and he guessed that Terence looked out for them as well.

Peter noticed Henry sneaking out of the camp, and he sighed loudly. He hated to admit it but Henry was probably more right about Terence than he wanted to believe. It sucked to think someone like Terence could so something bad to begin with. Then again, a lot of really good people were capable of doing some of the worst things. Maybe his reasons were a lot better. Maybe Terence was being made to do it. In all likelihood, that was probably how it was. At least, that's how Peter saw it. Crawling out of his sleeping bag, Peter followed Henry. They might as well talk it through. See what they could come up with. Once they were at the hideout, Henry stopped and looked curiously at the opening. Peter almost started laughing when he realized Henry really didn't know how to enter the hideout.

"You step on the root," Peter told him. "It's not an automatic door."

Henry whirled around as if he had been caught. Peter honestly didn't care that Henry was helping himself. Technically, the hideout was there for that reason. If you were a boy on the island, you were welcome. Despite how Peter felt about him, Henry was just as welcome as the next boy.

"You followed me?" Henry asked.

"It's kind of my job to know where all the kids are on this island," Peter shrugged. "But you also wanted me to follow you. I'm not stupid, Henry."

"I still think Terence is up to something. I know he's like your dad and you want to believe the best in him, but it's not adding up." Henry looked like he was waiting for Peter to argue with him. It must have been from all those times Henry got shut down about the town being cursed. While he never really mentioned it to anyone, Peter had heard him whispering to Emma one too many times while sitting at Granny's. At the time, Peter thought Henry just had a big imagination. Of course, Emma's presence in Storybrooke woke up all kinds of things for different people. Peter dreamed about flying all the time. He wanted to know about his father more and more. He hadn't been all that curious prior to Emma's arrival in town.

"I think you're right," Peter said after a moment.

Henry's face screwed into a look of confusion but also relief. "You do?"

Peter nodded. "I don't know why, but he seems different here. Maybe he's just letting us do whatever we want while we're here. Maybe he's going around and remembering everything. I don't know. But it's like he has his own agenda."

"You don't think he would hurt us, do you?"

That was a good question. Peter had never known Terence to be anything but nice; practically a saint. For the longest time, he wasn't even sure Terence knew how to do anything wrong. "No. Whatever he's doing here, he's not involving us. Otherwise, he would actually be around us."

"So what do we do?" Henry asked.

"Well," Peter began, "I know this about adults. Eventually, everything will come to light. They think they're clever because they're older and sometimes smarter, but they're terribly transparent when it comes down to it. He'll slip up. When he does, we'll be there to catch him. Whatever he's planning, I don't think it has anything to do with us. He probably thought having everyone here would be distraction enough for me to not notice anything." The boy started pacing along the tattered rug that covered the dirt floor. "I think this has something to do with my mom and dad."


End file.
